WATCH: Jennifer Hudson chokes up onstage after receiving very special award

posted by Wendy Geller | Yahoo! Stop The Presses!
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3 years ago

(Yahoo!) - Jennifer Hudson has received many awards over the duration of her career, but it was clear that the one she received Wednesday at Vh1's Do Something Awards meant something very special to her.

The singer was honored for her work with the Julian D. King Gift Foundation, a charitable organization named in honor of Hudson's young nephew, who was murdered in 2008--along with Hudson's mother and brother--by her brother-in-law.

The foundation was established to help provide children of all backgrounds with stable and positive experiences in order to help them grow into productive adults. Every year, Hudson and her sister Julia host a "Hatch Day" event in which school supplies, clothes, and other necessities are handed out to kids in need. The name of the event was Julian's own idea, and is in reference to "hatching" children's dreams.

Before calling Hudson to the stage to accept her award, presenter Ne-Yo played a moving video showing happy and grateful families talking about how the organization made a difference in their lives.

Hudson watched the clip with tears running down her face before taking the microphone. "I wasn't going to cry, but I'm a crybaby so I can't help it," she noted, then became even more choked up. "It's one thing to be a celebrity, but it means nothing if you can't help somebody. If you can't make a difference."

Hudson went on to dedicate the award to her sister, whom she explained is 100% hands-on with the charity and chooses all the school supplies herself in honor of her late son.